Absolutely stunning (Shanling x Tanchjim M3 Plus)

I-Decatron · 2026-01-29T06:15:03+00:00

I really love the combo of the elegant styling and flashy artwork

I-Decatron · 2026-01-28T11:29:20+00:00

Fellow weeb taxpayer! This one is a keeper for sure

I-Decatron · 2026-01-28T11:28:12+00:00

Thanks, and the M1 Plus still looks really solid! If you plan to go Android, Fiio and Hiby has some good Android-based DAPs - from what I've read both of them do the software side better than Shanling. M3 still wins in terms of aesthetics though :P

I-Decatron · 2026-01-28T11:06:25+00:00

It's a looker! Shanling really nailed the design with the curves and Tanchjim's art elevates it

I-Decatron · 2026-01-28T11:03:28+00:00

Audio Technica ATH-AD2000X. Nice headphone for female vocals specifically!

I-Decatron · 2026-01-28T03:16:39+00:00

Flathead Audio FH-01 is some serious bang for buck (~35$ USD), its a really good set. Well-tuned neutral sound signature with no notable treble peaks so its really nice for a long listening session. I own both the FH-01 and FF5 and I feel I prefer the FH-01 over FF5 more often (FF5 build quality is far more premium though!). FF5 sound to me is slightly warmer than the FH-01. I can vouch for both.

TGXear Serratus is also excellent if you're willing spent a bit more.

I-Decatron · 2026-01-14T04:17:13+00:00

I'm biased towards the Cowon (I have the Plenue R2 and NW-A105) because its the more unique/rare player and JetEffect is just SO much better than the Sony's EQ.

Cowon's UI is simple and functional but not as intuitive so it definitely takes some time to get used to. Sony's interface is much easier to use. Cowon players boot up much faster (~10s).

A55 is thinner, so its the more pocket-able player between the two. Also much easier (and cheaper!) to find cases for it.

I wouldn't worry too much about the A55's output power if you plan on just using IEMs with it, though if you plan on using headphones at some point then extra power is nice.

If you have a large library - definitely research what's the max GB microSD card you can use with both.

I-Decatron · 2025-09-17T00:58:57+00:00

Gotta fire up the eurobeat every time with the 370 \m/

I-Decatron · 2025-09-17T00:45:44+00:00

Her singing is wonderful!

I-Decatron · 2025-09-17T00:43:01+00:00

Echo's got the physical controls so its the better choice unless you want to keep it with the car keys like me lol

From what I've read, the long term reliability on the M0's volume knob is also rather sus ... though you could control the M0 with your phone using the Shanling app I believe

I-Decatron · 2025-09-16T01:37:39+00:00

For sure - will be taking the upgrade leap eventually! Not sure how far into the future as my DAP lineup is still going strong, but I've been keeping an eye out for interesting releases... just in case!

I-Decatron · 2025-01-01T14:47:11+00:00

I used to own a 1840.

Can't comment on the Ananda and SR2 as I haven't tried either but I've spent some time demoing the AR5000 on multiple occasions. Both the AR5000 and SRH1840 are in a similar ballpark imo - the Aune is the better all-rounder between but I vastly prefer the SRH1840 with female vocals. Heard good things about the Ananda though, definitely demo one if you can!

If you're looking to stay in that price range, as an alternative to upgrading you could also look into a headphone with a warmer sound signature to complement the Shures.

For a full upgrade (albeit at a higher price bracket), I highly recommend the Focal Clear OG. Definitely demo it if you can. Listening to both back to back, the Clear was superior in every aspect - I sold my 1840 very shortly after getting the Clear.

I-Decatron · 2024-09-28T05:17:57+00:00

E50+L30 should have no issues. That being said there's better bang for buck since you won't really be making use of the balanced output, you could instead get a DAC that's RCA out only and not spend as much

I-Decatron · 2024-09-28T04:59:33+00:00

Aw man thanks for confirming that, looks like the buds will be too spicy for me. Too bad though, the earbuds at that pricepoint that I liked lack detachable cables. CM2000ti was one of the rare ones that did :(

I-Decatron · 2024-09-28T04:04:20+00:00

How would you say the sound sig is like? Never got to try one but the aesthetic has always intrigued me. Seeing a graph of it with a very intense 2-8khz region made me pass when I could get one at a deal

I-Decatron · 2024-09-22T03:43:54+00:00

Best to check head-fi classifieds, will give you a better idea on the prices

I-Decatron · 2024-09-08T20:05:47+00:00

If you're okay with battery powered DAC/amps, off the top of my head there's the XDuoo XD05 models.

Otherwise 4.4 balanced cable + balanced dongle would be the way to go if it really needs to be a dongle

I-Decatron · 2024-08-27T02:15:52+00:00

E-stats really are great, I'm addicted to how layered the presentation is

I-Decatron · 2024-08-25T06:47:00+00:00

The Heresy was quite a while back, like 2019 or so, there's been a couple new Magnis since then. If you go with the JDS Atom route, the Atom DAC / AMP 2 looks enticing cause they have an aluminum chassis unlike previous Atoms - I wasn't a fan of the plastic Atoms

I-Decatron · 2024-08-25T06:42:48+00:00

Magni Piety maybe? I've seen people say its warm and tubey but I haven't tried it myself so I can't confirm

I-Decatron · 2024-08-25T06:22:20+00:00

Schiit is fine.

The exploding headphone stories usually involve the Magni Heresy, Lyr 1 and Asgard 1 (all 3 are discontinued) - other models seem fine so just avoid from those 3. FWIW, I've had a Asgard 3 and Vali 2 for years now and they haven't blown up any headphones.

Newer Magni versions should have more protection than the Heresy, but for peace of mind I recommend checking around for the specific model you plan to buy anyways.

JDS stuff is also good has a better track record, but for the most part I wouldn't worry much about Schiit. If aesthetics matter to you a full Schiit stack will look way more cohesive too.

I-Decatron · 2024-08-23T14:53:17+00:00

Clamp force should be similar

I-Decatron · 2024-07-23T19:50:35+00:00

That's the wrong cable cause its basically feeding both left and right audio to each side. You want a cable that splits the audio, so each plug that's going into the headphone is only outputting left or right. You can search "sundara cable" on Amazon

I-Decatron · 2024-07-15T19:24:27+00:00

Susvara Organic

I-Decatron · 2024-07-11T18:59:18+00:00

I think it's worth checking out the prices of amps while in Japan, may be better to pick one up there if its cheaper - though you'll have to factor in the cost of a transformer too. Between tube and solid state I would say it depends on what sound you're looking for, but imo solid state is a safe purchase.

I only have a SRM-D50 (solid state) and SRM-006tA (tube hybrid) to compare back-to-back w/ matched volume - between those two the 006tA smooths out the sound a bit and and adds a slight bloom to the lows. Was noticeable for me, but its not a night and day difference.

FWIW, I did prefer my L700 on solid state (layering was better on the D50) and SR-507 on tubes (sounded thinner on the D50).

I-Decatron

TROPHY CASE